2019 IN REVIEW: PICTURES OF THE YEAR

Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more. ---Vincent Van Gogh 

 

I'm a sucker for that golden light. You know, that time of the evening when the low hanging sun burns in a smokey orange and reddish amber over the water. When the sky's palette turns into dimming purplish luster offset by the soft warm glow of the clouds. When kayaks and their paddlers are silhouetted in shadows or backlit with fuzzy bright halos. When the water's reflection is in that a radiant splendor of a hallucinogenic melting ember of tranquility.

Lake Jenkinson

For those reasons alone it makes that time on the lake or river a bit more magical and mysterious than any other part of the day.
Most others have already left the water, So away from the crowd, my images are clean and crisp, but mostly serene and tranquil.

Trust me, when I see golden light like that, it's easy to see the pictures. Like Ansel Adams said, “Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.”

In my paddling days and outside endeavors in 2019, I got to those natural places often and sometimes just in time and sometimes with all the time in the world to see all its glory about me. Every destination whether new or even after I have visited many times before came with a new adventure that I'll carry with me for a lifetime. And because I saw it from the perspective of my canoe or kayak, well that was just an added bonus.

The Lower American River

As the old saying goes, "You cannot step into the same river twice." After this past year, I can only agree after I often ending up in many of the same places I had visited before. But as noted, those adventures were never the same, for it was the journey that mattered most.

"It's the thing about river running that I've always loved the most," wrote adventure author and paddler Peter Heller, "You go into the country on a natural magic carpet, moving at a speed that is normal to all its denizens, and if you quiet, you can be absolutely silent in a way you can never be walking, and if you are on wilderness river, you slip past scenes you would never, ever witness any other way."

In every outing this year I encountered a new and dynamic experience, whether being a quiet Sunday morning on Sly Park's Lake Jenkinson or a brilliant sunset on Lake Natoma. I have paddled along the pristine shoreline of Loon Lake and hiked a scenic waterfall trail high in the Sierra.

Bayside Adventure Sports on Lake Natoma

While alone in my solitude, I enjoyed the quick water and the slog of the portage back upriver on reinvigorating in perspective trek on the Lower American River. I mostly came to appreciate all the companionships with others as they shared my same passion for the water. From the fun-time glow and sunset paddles with Bayside Adventure Sports to all my interaction with the folks and clients from Current Adventures and Sly Park Rentals Paddle to every paddler, I have met along the way. They have inspired and motivated me and I only hoped that I have inspirited them to get outside and explore and cherish their neighborhood waterway.

As American photojournalist, Steve McCurry said, My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” So as 2019 draws to a close, I look back at some of my favorite images from this past year.

Loon Lake with Bayside Adventure Sports

Hot Springs Creek Falls

The Lower American River

Lake Jenkinson

Lake Jenkinson at Sly Park

The American River

The Mokelumne River

Glow Paddle on Lake Natoma

Lake Jenkinson

Lake Jenkinson

Want to see more about Outside Adventure to the Max. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

KAYAK SUMMER 2019

The music of the far-away summer flutters around the Autumn seeking its former nest. --- Rabindranath Tagore

Please stay a bit longer summer, I don't want to see you go. I want a few more quiet morning floating along in a canoe. A couple additional lazier hot afternoons by the water and several extra-long summer nights sitting around a campfire watching the moon and stars. So sorry Autumn, but I'm just not ready for your cool days, rainy nights and falling leaves.

Canoe morning on Lake Jenkinson

Yes, I'm not ready to it give all up. I've grown accustomed to my shirtless and sandal days at the boathouse, my kayaking evenings at the lake, waiting and watching for the sun to set and the moon to arise. And please, please don't take away my meandering times on the river listening for the rumble of rapids.

Summer 2019, by far exceeded my expectations with a season of fun adventures on or near the water. At Sly Park Recreation Area, I worked the weekend boat rentals for my second straight season sporting large-brimmed straw hat and zebra tanned feet from produced by my Keen sandals. There were some slow easy goings spells, tranquil canoe mornings along with busy and brisk business is good times intermixed throughout my summer. Like a kid at camp, the best part, of course, was being on Lake Jenkinson where canoeing, kayaking, and swimming were all part of my daily grind.

Current Adventures training nights

Last summer, when Eppies called it quits, I thought my training nights and boat prep were over. But, when The Great American Triathlon picked up the baton to continue the great race of running, biking and paddling along The American River Parkway, Dan Crandall and our crew at Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips geared up for another summer run in training paddlers for the river leg and a way to navigate those pesky San Juan Rapids.

For the new and old faces with Bayside Adventure Sports, a Christian based outreach group, my summer leading them offered several day trips and evening outings to area lakes, an annual run down the Lower American River and no-frills expedition to Loon Lake, where we were treated to some great kayaking camping and amazing sunsets. For years it has been one favorite places to visit, now it's one of theirs.

Bayside Adventure Sports at Loon Lake.

Waterfalls and waterfall trails seemed to be a focal point of my summer. The cascading Sly Park Falls was always a hit for all of those I brought there on kayak outings and after-hours paddles. Who doesn't love a hike to a waterfall? While on a rare trip, where Debbie and I didn't take any boats, we still found our way to the stream when we hiked the waterfall trail at Grover Hot Springs State Park. On a hot summer day after our trek, there was nothing better than kicking off shoes and dipping our toes or better yet getting to stand in the chilly shower.

Lake Jenkinson

"All in all, it was a never to be forgotten summer," wrote Canadian author L.M. Montgomery, "One of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going."
Montgomery, best known for a series of novels for chronicling the life of the fictional Anne Shirley set on Prince Edward Island, always painted summers on the island "as near to perfection as anything can come in this world." But she also took delight in Autumn when she wrote, "I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

Yes, no matter how I regard it, next Monday marks the first day of fall, which of course subsequently, is the official end of summer. Thanks for the memories. To remind me and you, of the summer not to be forgotten, I picked out some of my favorite images created over the past few months that should keep those memories burning bright.

 

Here is a look at some of our favorite images from this past summer. 

 

Bayside Adventure Sports on Lake Natoma

 

Paul at Sly Park

Loon Lake

Lake Jenkinson

The Lower American River

Moonlight paddle on Lake Jenkinson with Current Adventures

Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max on our Facebook page and Instagram.

OVER THE BOW: HOT SPRINGS CREEK FALLS

Water is the most perfect traveller because when it travels it becomes the path itself! ---  Mehmet Murat ildan

I've always loved the sound the sight and sound of rushing water. The raw power of churning and boiling water through a constricted channel, pouring downward and beating away at anything in its path. Its foamy spray of fresh and rejuvenating cool mist and of course, its thunderous crescendo of rumbling and reverberation. As naturalist John Craighead maintained that the sound of distance rapids is a "primeval summons to primordial values." While Sigurd Olson suggests that running rapids will touch the wildness in your soul.

Yes, from the babble of the brook to the earthshaking crashing of whitewater the sight and sound fast-moving water has always called for me. Even back in the Midwest, where the sight of a quick-moving water gradient was a bit of novelty to me outside of Minnesota's North Shore. To see anything that even resembled a waterfall, I had to visit a dam site or wait for a thunderstorm to pour water through a culvert.

Photos by Deborah Ann Klenzman

So walking the Grover Hot Springs State Park Waterfall Trail with my wife Debbie, I was brimming with that same excitement with every step along the way. Located near Markleeville, California in the eastern Sierra, Hot Spring Falls is just one the highlights for the park known for its vista views of towering peaks, scenic meadow and a mineral pool fed by six hot springs.

It's roughly mile and a half hike to the falls over a trail that outside of few places where we had to do some minor rock climbing is not that difficult and good for hikers of all skills levels. The Burnside Lake Trail starts near the campground across portions of a newly created boardwalk with resting and viewing platforms through the sensitive meadow area. In other sections, the trail is reinforced with pack soil over crushed rock. We followed it all the way out of the park on to U.S. Forest Service land leading along Hot Springs Creek where the trail branched off to the falls.

Before long we heard the rumble of the first set of falls. Climbing over the rocks and boulders we climbed down from the trail to the first set of falls along the way to enjoy the spray of the cold icy waters after our hike on a hot summer day by kicking off our shoes and dipping our toes in the pools below the chilly shower.

The stream cascaded down through a series of rocky outcrops, giving the effect of it's many waterfalls rather than just one, We continued to follow the creek up to the next fall and tranquil pool before finding another, which proved to be by far the most awe-inspiring view of cascade of the the trail. It certainly made the hike's scratches and sore feet all seem worth it as we admired its sight.
Dropping vertically from its cradle of rock and trees, the falls poured over the ledge in a magnificent fashion. I tossed off my shoes once again to relish in the falls, to feel its cold damp rock, be deafen by its thunder and bathe in its spray.

As contemporary Turkish playwright, novelist and thinker Mehmet Murat Ildan wrote, "Waterfalls are exciting because they have power, they have rainbows, they have songs, and they have boldness and craziness!” I can only agree. They are truly one of creation most magical and breathtaking sceneries. Their power, roar, and brilliance in nature's tranquility will always beckon me to travel their waterfall trails.

Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, we would love to see it. Submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

#JustAddWater

Wow! What a great way to end a trip to Loon Lake. Came home to have my fabulous prize from @nrsweb and @kleankanteen waiting at the door for being a lucky winner in the #JustAddWater contest. Thanks, guys!

How can you #JustAddWater to your summer adventures? Tell them in a post on Facebook or Instagram, include #JustAddWater and tag (@nrsweb) and you’re entered! They are awarding weekly winners all summer, plus one amazing grand prize including a full SUP package from us, and gear from Chaco, ENO, Klean Kanteen, Ruffwear, and Yakima Racks. Learn more at nrs.com/justaddwater

Want to see more about Outside Adventure to the Max. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram